African Arowana

fishluver06

Does any one know anything about this fish also how big it gets

Dave66

As to size, Heterotis niloticus reaches over 3 feet and is a BIG fish, weighing over 20 pounds easy. As far as food goes, they eat little things, like small crustaceans. Something Daphnia magna in size would be about right. They are a riverine species, so you can bet the water they live in is around neutral and fairly soft. Think Kribs as far as water params.
They're only Arowana in common name, as they are another family entirely.
You would need an aquarium of prodigious dimensions to keep one, and be capable of maintaining top water quality, limiting Nitrogenous waste as much as possible. Keeping a large fish like that alive and healthy for is 10 to 20 year life span is truly a challenge.
I DEEPLY encourage you to do serious in-depth research and be able to shoulder the financial commitment keeping such a fish demands. H. niloticus is not for the casual fish keeper by any means.

Dave

MattD

I want an arowana.

Platinum Arowana

Dave66

LoL not in a 40 gallon you don't, Matt ole boy. 400 maybe . . .

Dave

Gump

I currently own one about 15" that i got when it was 2". These have a very high metabolic rate when small and a very small "throat" so if you plan on getting a small one they are very time consuming and have a very high mortality rate in tanks. If you find a larger one 10"+ expect to pay a lot for it because of the time and trouble it takes to keep it in good health as a fingerling. Like Dave said they do require a large tank and are very very active spending most of its day looking for food. They should also have a smooth sand bottom since this fish has a gizzard and will swallow some sand to help it break down its food.

I love mine and its a great fish. If you have the tank requirements and the willingness to take this fish on let me know and I can give you a lot of tips on growing out a small one.

Here are a few pics of mine.

About 8" in the second grow out tank (with white sand)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...9/IMG_0650.jpg

Less than 24 hours later after being moved to a tank with black sand.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...fricanarow.jpg

At about 14" a few months ago
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...2008022117.jpg

fishluver06

so what are some of those tips?

fishluver06

can you tell me what you fed your's when it was smaller say about 3"

Badidea04

you can feed them guppies...rarely do arrowanas eat pellets but if you get one out of the batch that eats pellets, your lucky:]

goat13

Mine has been giving the hardest time out of any fish i have ever had. first i couldnt get him to eat, even tho the reason i picked him was cause he was eating at the store i got him from so i thought that was a great one to get. Then he gets a fungus and its starting to clear up very nicely and is get good fin groth. I got him at a very small size as well 2"- 3". couldnt love him more tho even if hes the biggest pain!

I think i like the bright white look better then the black look, dont get me wrong the black is very sharp looking but the white just glows!
Great looking Arowana!

rsheets

They get huge and eat everything that will fit into there huge mouths. They are awsome though. I had one.